Integral handle supporting snap hook



April 15, 1958 L. W. PRINCE INTEGRAL HANDLE SUPPORTING SNAP HOOK FiledAug. 29, 1956 Fig.3

Lawrence W Prince IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent INTEGRAL HANDLE SUPPORTING SNAP HOOK Lawrence W.Prince, San Bernardino, Calif. Application August 29, 1956, Serial No.606,845

1 Claim. (Cl. 81-53) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in adjustable open end wrenches of various sizes for useparticularly by linemen and others working aloft and has for its primaryobject to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a tool of thischaracter which may be expeditiously and securely attached to anddetached from a belt ring, loop or the like with one hand, leaving theother hand free to be used for other purposes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved adjustableopen end wrench of the aforementioned character which will becomparatively simple in construction, strong, durable and which may bemanufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View, showing an improved wrench embodying thepresent invention suspended from a belt ring;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section through one end portion ofthe tool;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the end portion of the toolshown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view, showing the method of detaching thewrench from the ring.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises anelongated handle 5 of suitable metal. On one end, the handle 5 isprovided with a conventional adjustable head 6.

On its other end, the handle 5 is provided with a snap hook 7 forsuspending the tool from a belt ring 8, for example.

The entrance or mouth 9 of the snap hook 7 is closed by a resilienttongue 10 of suitable metal having one end portion anchored in therespective end of the handle 5. The free end portion of the resilienttongue 10 is engaged under tension with the inner side of the free endportion of the bill 11 of the hook 7. Further, the tongue 10 terminatesat its free end in an inwardly angular-1y 2,830,478 Patented Apr. 15,1958 5 ly, the resilient tongue 10 normally closes the entrance or mouth9 of the hook 7. To snap the hook 7 on the ring 8, the free end portionof the bill 11 of said hook is introduced into the ring with the tongue10 bearing on said ring. Pressure is then applied for causing the ring 8to flex the tongue 10 inwardly to open position, the tool beingmanipulated to cause said ring to pass between the free end portion ofsaid tongue and the bill 11 into the hook 7, as seen in Figure 1 of thedrawing. The construction and arrangement, it will be noted, is suchthat the wrench is positively connected to the ring 8 in a manner toprevent accidental detachment. To remove the wrench, the ring 8 isengaged under the lip 12 and wedged between said lip and the free endportion of the bill 11 of the hook. The tool is then manipulated in amanner to force the ring 8 outwardly from between the end portions ofthe elements 10 and 11 thus freeing the wrench in an obvious manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occurto those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described,and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the invention .as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An elongated handle having side edges and a snap hook on one end of thehandle for suspending the handle on a support, said snap hook comprisinga hook integral with said end of the handle and extending outwardlythereof from one side edge to the other side edge of the handle andterminating in a bill at said other side edge, and a resilient tongue atsaid other side edge for closing and opening the hook and having one endanchored in said end of the handle and its other end engaging behindsaid bill to close said hook and inturned into said hook behind saidbill for flexing of said tongue rearwardly away from said bill by asupport interposed between said bill and the inturned end of the tongue,whereby to facilitate opening the hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS757,987 Wiles Apr. 19, 1904 1,018,258 Morris Feb. 20, 1912 1,324,879Cole Dec. 16, 1919 1,368,377 Van Sickle Feb. 15, 1921 1,409,971 RiedeselMar. 21, 1922 1,728,619 Lambert Sept. 17, 1929 1,739,182 Schlote Dec.10, 1929 1,900,370 Smith Mar. 7, 1933 1,969,677 Stowell Aug. 7, 1934

